Karnataka ex-CM Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar searching for safe seats, says Nalin Kumar Kateel

CHIKKAMAGALURU: President of the Karnataka BJP and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said that both Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah were busy looking for safe constituencies to contest from since the opposition party found itself in a bad state.

Nalin Kumar, interacting with representatives of the media at the Chikkamagaluru BJP office, said that, while Siddaramaiah was keen on contesting from Kolar, Shivakumr was contemplating contesting from Maddur constituency in Mandya district. This is a reflection of what the voters in their respective constituencies feel about the two leaders, said Nalin Kumar. "Congress will not be successful in a direct fight, and there is much confusion among the leaders of that party. The Congress is trying to gain by misleading the people," said the Dakshina Kannada MP.

Responding to Sringeri's Congress MLA TD Rajegowda's statements on the Datta Peetha row, Nalin Kumar said that the Congress was opposed to the interests of the Hindus. He alleged that senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi had criticised the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, adding the Rajegowda's remarks on the Datta Peetha were not surprising.